Sunshine
by cuito
Summary: “…Please don’t take my sunshine away…”


**A/N:** Meh…Wanted to write something about Sasuke and Sakura's kids. I hope it won't disappoint anyone, it is kind of sad. It's a father and daughter bonding one shot.

Dunno what I was thinking when I wrote this, but I must have been super sad if I ended up killing one of my favorite characters.

I know I'm not supposed to post lyrics on the fic, but it plays a big part in it. (Don't wanna get in trouble but whatever.)

- - - - - - - - - -

A sudden breeze rushed through the opened windows into the dark, lonely room, fluttering the pink satin curtains as the chilled air filled the room. The petite figure shivered in her silk covered bed sheets wrapped around her body like a cocoon. She shivered again, but a bit more violently against the cool air that gushed through the open windows. The older man, who stood by her door, tiredly sighed and shook his head at his daughter's recklessness. He moved silently across her room, picking up scrolls and medical books from the floor to set them neatly on the mahogany desk and then quietly closed the windows.

He moved over his daughter's sleeping form and extended his warm hand to brush her pale strawberry-blond colored locks away from her face. She snuggled against the warmth of his large hand against her cheek and he smiled at her serene expression. She reminded him so much of his late wife. He bent down to kiss her softly on her forehead, quietly chuckled at her incoherent sleepy mumbles, a trait she inherited from her lovely mother, and left the room with a quiet '_goodnight_' floating to his sleeping child.

By the time she woke up, the bright morning sun filtered through the cracks of the blinds making it impossible to sleep in, she bolted out of bed when the bright red numbers flashed dangerously from across the room. She cursed under her breath, stumbled out of bed, tripped over her bed sheets and landed harshly on the cold wooden floor.

"You okay Pinky?"

She jerked her head up to find her older brother leaning against the doorframe with a small smile adorning his handsome face, arms crossed over his chest. His emerald eyes sparkled with amusement at her clumsiness and she inwardly scowled.

"Yeah…" she whispered sadly almost feeling the rush of emotions threatening to explode from within her small body at the affectionate nickname.

Even if she had argued against the nickname, the same nickname her stoic father used to call her mother lovingly, her brothers still used it no matter how much she despised it, yet at the same time she secretly longed for it. She had thrown tantrums, picked fights with her brothers and had even threatened to run away from home yet they all smiled sadly and continued to call her _Pinky_.

Her hair, which obscured her eyesight for the time being due to the fall, reminded the young girl of how much she hated the color of spring. The same colors that reminded the petite girl of her mother, she could still see her sometimes fretting over the kitchen stove while the soft luring song she hummed echoed throughout the house and into the spring garden. Her mother's voice, gentle yet passionate, would always lure to sleep while in the safety of her warm arms.

"_Oh my, Aiko-chan. You're getting too big for me to hold," she smiled as the little girl protested in her arms sleepily. _

"_No I'm not Mama," she yawned as Sakura laid a soft kiss on top of her head. She held her close as she began to rock back and forth in the rocking chair slowly. The wood beneath them creaked at the movement of the chair with mother and child._

_Sakura began to hum as she stroked her daughter's hair and Aiko immediately recognized the song that was luring her deeper into sleep._

"_You are my sunshine…my only sunshine," another warm kiss landed on Aiko's head, "…You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know, dear…how much I love you…"_

_A noise from her left woke her suddenly and a large, heavy hand began to stroke her head soothingly making her eyes droop even more._

"…_So please don't take my sunshine away…"_

Everyone praised Uchiha Sakura and her beautiful children especially the youngest, Uchiha Aiko. She was a rare beauty just like her mother as most put it. And it always tore her heart into pieces at how much the villagers whispered amongst themselves comparing her to her mother and pitying her family for her mother's passing.

Her hair could not compare to anything like her mother's. While her hair was straight and a pale mixture between blond and a strawberry color her mother's was wavy, luscious pink hair like cherry blossoms. Her mother's eyes were the most beautiful emerald green she had ever seen while her eyes were a deep grey blue just like her grandfather. Out of the five Uchiha heirs the youngest was blessed with their mother's talents and looks. All of the males had dark hair and charcoal eyes like their serious father with the exception of the oldest who had dark emerald eyes.

Aiko was snapped out of her thoughts when her older brother, Taro, knelt down and offered her his large, calloused hand to her. She stared at it, noticing the slightly marred skin of burnt scars. A deep longing surged through her before it was replaced by anger. Her father had yet to train her like the rest of her siblings. She was still a genin, a pathetic fourteen-year-old genin whose father always seemed to ignore her. Sometimes she felt as if she was not deemed worthy enough to be his child.

Taro waved his hand in front of her face to gain her attention but instead only received a fierce glare. He backed away from her slightly hurt, her eyes flashing with raw emotions tearing at his heart, and headed towards the door silently as she still lay tangled in her bed sheets, "Breakfast is ready. Don't be late."

His quiet steps echoed down the hall, vibrating the stillness that lay within the empty cold room that once belonged to a happy little girl. She buried her face in her silk covers and cried.

- - - - - - - - - -

Breakfast was uneventful like always, except for the occasional curses shared between the twins who fought over the last pieces of sausage. Her father, who always sat at the end of the table reading the paper, had not said anything since the quiet _'good morning_' he somberly said when she entered the kitchen. He openly wore a frown, the lines beside his eyes and mouth deepening slightly, and she wondered what he was upset about now.

"Aiko, you left the windows opened again," the deep rumble of his voice startled her making her jump in her seat. She jerked her head up to find her father glaring at her from across the table.

"My room was stuffy and hot…"

"That's no excuse," he slapped his paper down on the table silencing the twins, "I want those windows closed before you go to bed, understood?"

She looked confused, almost angry at her father for making such a big deal out of nothing, "But—"

"No buts! The last thing I need is for you to get ill," he roared immediately gaining all of his son's attention. They stared at their fuming father as an uncomfortable silence dominated the little kitchen. Taro looked nervously at the youngest Uchiha noticing the glaze look her eyes took.

Aiko shook her head, the feel of his harsh yelling tearing her inside out, and she repressed a sob she knew would soon come. She smiled bitterly through the shimmering tears that rolled down her angered flushed cheeks, "No. Don't you mean the last thing you need is me?"

Sasuke stared at her, surprise evident in his slightly wide eyes. He clamped his mouth shut not knowing how to respond and she took his silence as a _yes_. Pushing the chair harshly out of her way causing it to scratch the wooden floor, she dashed out of the kitchen with silent sobs.

- - - - - - - - - -

She ignored her father for a whole week after the incident.

Taro had come in every morning like he usually did and she had buried herself under the safety of her covers to hide the tear rimmed, puffy eyes away from him. She didn't want him to worry about her; he had enough to worry about being the eldest of the five Uchiha children. He had asked her to join them for breakfast each single morning and she had ignored him and had laid in bed until she would hear her father's deep voice as he bid farewell to go to work. She didn't regret her decision not until she caught her father's weary eyes staring longingly at her mother's garden.

She didn't have the courage to apologize to her grieving father and she didn't think he would want an apology. Uchihas weren't supposed to apologize…at least that's how she understood. And they were also not supposed to cry as she had for what seemed like an eternity since her mother's death six years ago.

She had been so angry with him that day when the news arrived about her mother's death to the Uchiha home. He was too calm, too nonchalant as the house came apart with the pained wails shared between the siblings. Aiko wanted to be strong, but the thought of not ever having her mother around anymore broke her in half and she ran to Sasuke for comfort. She extended her eight-year-old arms up to him, expecting to be picked up and held closely, but he turned around and walked away from her. She stared at his back, the Uchiha symbol adoring his dark blue shirt, the fabric crinkling as he walked away. From that day on she couldn't look at her father without feeling hatred burning through her veins.

At the end of the week she was in for a surprise when her teacher announced his nomination for their team for the upcoming chuunin exams. She was thrilled, too happy to care as she skipped down the crowded streets to see her older brother at the Hokage building. She spotted him speaking to a young woman and she had to roll her eyes as a bright pink engulfed the young woman's face.

"Taro-niisan!" she yelled from across the hallway earning quite a few stares as the quietest of the Uchiha children called for her brother. Taro turned around and waved at her as she jogged down towards him with a silly grin on her face.

"Well, I see you're in a good mood today," he smiled as she bobbed her head up and down excitedly.

"Guess what!" she exclaimed happily, twirling around him as he shrugged his shoulders coolly.

"Humm," he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "You have a boyfriend and it happens to be Uncle Naruto's son?"

"Eww, no!" she stopped abruptly, "He's not my type."

"I see, I see," he hummed before pointing a finger up in the air, "I know! You have a boyfriend and it's Hatake Obito, isn't it?"

Aiko's face flushed at the mention of Obito and she mentally swore as her brother smiled mischievously. She pouted but not before sticking her tongue out at him and kicking his shin painfully which had him teary eyed for a couple of minutes at her hard blow.

"No! I don't have a boyfriend," she defiantly put her hands on her hips as a smirk appeared on her face, "Sensei nominated us for the chuunin exams! Isn't that too cool or what!"

Taro's smile faded a little and it was enough for her to notice the sudden change, "Niisan?"

He pinched her nose lovingly, her eyes going cross-eyed as she stared at his actions, and ruffled her hair playfully causing her hair to tangle, "Aa. You'll have to ask Otousan for permission…"

Her smile faded completely from her face as her eyes hardened, "I…I understand. I'll see you at home."

She turned around and ran away from Taro who stood torn between being obedient to his father and being supportive for his little sister.

- - - - - - - - - -

Dinner was quiet and everyone seemed to be enjoying the silence that engulfed the dining room as they ate their meals peacefully. Jiro, the second oldest, was busy sulking at his seat as he mixed his food around on his plate. The twins watched him closely sending signals to each other obviously speaking about the poor young man who was heartbroken for the third time this week. He was in a rocky relationship with the heiress of the Nara clan and no matter how many times they broke up they were back together the next day.

When everyone finished their meals and as the middle siblings fought over the last slices of homemade apple pie made by their Aunt Hinata, Aiko decided it was the right moment to ask her father for permission to enter the chuunin exam. She quickly stole a glance at Taro who was having a quiet conversation with her father and then squeaked as Jiro shoved a small plate of pie in front of her face. She stared at him not quite believing he would sacrifice the last slice of the most delicious pie he won over the cursing twins for her. He frowned, took a clumsy spoonful of pie and shoved it in her mouth.

She choked, "What was that for?" He shrugged indifferently and then went back to sulking like before. She heard her father sigh heavily as Taro chuckled.

"Tousan?" she called her father weakly.

"Aa." was his simple reply as his dark charcoal eyes looked at her.

"Can I," she stopped to correct herself and mull the question out properly, "…May I participate in this year's chuunin exams?"

She smiled up at him sweetly as her brothers watched between her happy demeanor and at their father's stormy expression, "No."

Her smile dropped, "What?"

"I said no and it's final," he sipped his warm tea.

"But…Why?" she couldn't understand why he would deny her request. It wasn't as if she ever asked him for anything. She wasn't spoiled and she wasn't that bad of a kunoichi…at least that's what she hoped.

"Don't argue with me," he looked at her again and frowned when he noticed her shoulders shaking.

"Why?" she shoulders shook harder. Sasuke was surprised when she looked up; her face was clean of tears. Instead it was replaced with such hatred he had ever seen on her delicate face. It reminded him too well of the way he used to be as a teenager seeking for revenge.

He didn't answer her and it was enough for her to understand that his silence was meant to end the conversation about the upcoming exams. She could feel her blood boil, the last of her common sense thrown out of the window as she felt the yearning for her father's attention disappear.

"I…" she banged on the table loudly, a crack forming on the wood where her balled fists came into contact, causing all eyes on her, "I HATE YOU!"

She ran out the room slamming the door in the process. Sasuke stared at the door disbelieving and felt his heart shatter into millions of pieces. He brought his hand up to his face and wept silently.

- - - - - - - - - -

She locked herself in her room as she tore and broke everything apart. She hurled her mother's photo to the window, crashing through the glass, the sharp pieces falling everywhere. The loud knocking on her door went unnoticed as she kept her path of destruction in her room.

"Aiko-chan, please open the door," Taro gently urged from the other side of the door as more glass shattering could be heard, "Please. Please open the door, Pinky."

She hurled a thick medical book at the door, "Leave me alone!" Aiko dropped on her bed, beating the pillows as her vision blurred by uncontrollable tears, "I hate you! I hate you…"

The knocking on her door ceased, silence reined the small room as her tears continued to flow down her flushed cheeks. She inhaled sharply, a pained breath coming into her lungs before coming out into hiccups. She lay in bed until she couldn't feel the pounding in her head anymore.

- - - - - - - - - -

Late in the afternoon when the sun began to set Aiko left her shattered room through the broken window. She cut her arm in the process, a shard of glass painfully driving itself deeper into her porcelain skin, but she paid no heed to it. She walked quietly to the garden where she scowled at the offending colors. Walking closer she noticed a small sprout of a cherry blossom tree beginning to grow and she immediately kicked it and stomped on it until the growing tree was no longer.

She bent down and tore all the flowers from their roots, the defenseless plants weeping as their petals flew to the ground, "Aiko?"

Sasuke stood behind her, slightly confused and guilty as she kept tearing Sakura's garden apart, "…I'm sorry…"

She didn't stop, "I don't care anymore, Sasuke."

He winced when his daughter called him by his name, "…I don't want you to get hurt. Your mother would be angry at me if anything happened to you…"

Aiko abruptly stopped, a handful of flowers pricking the insides on her hand. Sasuke walked towards her, kneeled down and laid his large, heavy hand on her head.

"She loved all of you very much, but you were her last child and she was very fond of you," he smiled sadly.

She felt the air in her lungs rush out of her chest, "…I…I miss her…"

"So do I," he stroked her head soothingly, bringing her in his warm arms as she cried silently. He held her close and she heard a deep rumble come from within him.

"You are my sunshine…my only sunshine…"

It was foreign, really, to hear her father sing to her. She had never heard his deep voice become so achingly gentle, but it wasn't unpleasant one bit at all and she felt sleep claiming her slowly.

"…You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know, dear…how much I love you…"

She smiled through the tears feeling oddly content even with the pain the infested her heart for six years.

"…So please…"

Everything was going to be just fine.

"…Don't take my sunshine away…"

Just fine.

- - - - - - - - - -

**A/N:** People deal with grief different ways. Aiko couldn't understand why her father left so suddenly without comforting her as a child and it made her bitter, but she understood at the end he was grieving for Sakura as well.

I can't believe I killed Sakura!


End file.
